Big Ten tournament opens Thursday

Michigan ended one long title drought last week. Now the Wolverines are trying to end another.

After winning its first Big Ten title outright since 1986, top-seeded Michigan heads to Indianapolis looking for its first conference tournament title since the inaugural tourney in 1998.

For the Wolverines, the last 15 years have been frustrating. They have reached the tourney semifinals twice, haven't been back to the title game and haven't won multiple games in the tourney since going 3-0 in '98.

The quest to change course starts Friday against either Illinois or Indiana, who play Thursday. Ohio State plays Purdue, Minnesota faces Penn State and Iowa meets Northwestern in the other first-round games.

The top four seeds -- Michigan, Wisconsin, Michigan State and Nebraska -- have byes into Friday's quarterfinals.

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